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3.19.2009

Trysa Heroon in Vienna

Greek panels in Vienna restored to former glory: The 2,500 year-old Heroon of Trysa is reassembled seven years after shattering into 500 pieces - The Art Newspaper

NB - They are from Turkey, from a heroon-tomb of a local Persian ruler circa 380 BC, and ... not 'Greek': they are distinctly local Lycian in style, which is what makes them so interesting.

Whilst most friezes tended to be above columns, this is an early example of a frieze in another location: two bands of panels ran around the upper part of the wall that enclosed the heroon, on the inner side, as seen in this 1881 photo.

And whilst Greek friezes tended to show mythological stories, those at Trysa also included military events, such as the siege in the panel to the left (Beazley Archive), providing us with good evidence for military history.

I saw the friezes just before the damage, and ... well am slightly shocked how quiet they managed to keep that.

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